Laundry appliance with rotatable tubs



June 28, 1932. J. G. FEHN 1,864,993

LAUNDRY APPLIANCE WITH ROTATABLE TUBS Filed Sept. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l LAUNDRY APPLIANCE WITH ROTATABLE TUBS Filed Sept. 24, 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES JOHN G. FEHN, OF DES MOINES, IOWA LAUNDRY APPLIANCE WITH ROTATAIBLE TUBS Application filed September a4, 1928. Serial No. 307,800.

The object of my invention is to provide a laundry appliance with rotatable tubs, which is durable and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

.5 A further object of myinvention is to provide a laundry appliance adapted to support a washing machine and a pair of tubs which are arranged in such a manner that clothing may be transferred through the wringer of 1 the washing machine from the washing machine to one of the tubs, from one tub to an other, or from one tub to the center of the appliance which is provided with a basket support. Another important object of my invention is to provide a laundry appliance in which the entire washing operations from start to finish are performed on the appliance, the last operation being the wringing of the in washed clothes into a clothes basket, after which they may be hung on the clothes line for drying and airing.

Still another object is to arrange the washing machine and the tubs so that water is easily conducted to either of them and may be drained from either of them into a drain trap without the necessity of carrying the water during any of the washing operations.

More particularly, it is my object toprovide a supporting base with arms swingably mounted thereon and having the washing machine and the tubs rotatably mounted on the outer ends of the arms, the arms themselves being hollow for conducting water from the P5 washing machine and tubs into the base which is positioned over a drain trap.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out inmy claims, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figurel is a plan view of my device, illustrating the swingable supporting arms radially spaced. 7

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view, illustratscrews 14 or the like.

ing the positions of the washing machine, the wringer and thetubs when wringing from the washing machine to one of the tubs.

Figure 4c is a diagrammatic view, illustrating positions of the washing machine, the wringer and the tubs when wringing from one tub to another. W Figure 5 is a diagrammatic View, illustrating the positions of the washing machine, the wringer and the tubs when wringing from (i) one of the tubs to a clothes basket. Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view, illustrating-the positions of the washing machine and the wringer when wringing from the washing machine to a basket positioned on the floor 05 and illustrating the position of one of the tubs when swung over a burner associated with my device for the purpose of he'ating'the water therein. V

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view on w the line 77 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a bracket and roller associated with the washing machine for the purpose of rotatably supporting itrelative to its supportingarm. 7;

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 99 of Figure 1; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a supporting means for the motor of the washing machine.

On the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate a base. The base 10 is adapted to be positioned on and secured to a floor 12 by means of lag The base 10 is pro- 85 vided with a top 16.

'VVithin the base 10 a partition 18 is formed having openings 20. The top 16 of the :base

10 is formed with openings 22. A plurality of supporting arms A and B .are swingably mounted relative to the top 16 of the base 10.

Each of the arms A and B consists of a vertical tubular portion 2 1 andan upwardly and outwardly inclined portion 26. The arm A terminates adjacent the bottom of a washing machine C, as indicated at 28. The arms B terminate in upwardly extending tubular portions 30. On the tubular portion 30 of each arm B is a supporting spider 32 having a hub 34 rotatably coacting with thetubular portion. The spider 32 is secured to a supporting ring 36 by means of rivets or the like 38.

The supporting arm A is formed with a spider 40 similar to the spider 32 except that it is rigidly secured or formed integral with the supporting arm A. An annular track 42 is secured to the spider 40.

The washing machine C is mounted upon the annular track 42 and supported relative thereto by rollers 44. At three corners of the washing machine C under consideration, lugs 46 are provided to which the legs of the washing machine are usually bolted. I replace these three legs of the washing machine by brackets 48 on which three of the rollers 44 are journaled.

At the fourth corner of the washing machine C, agear casing 50 is provided which is secured by means of an arm 52 to the lugs 46 at the fourth corner of the washing machine. The arm 52 may be formed with a boss 54 on which the roller 44 is journaled.

The washing machine under consideration has a rack and pinion housing 56, the rack extending into the housing being operatively connected with driving mechanism (not shown) within the gear casing 50 and extendving through a tube-like housing 58 which extends from the housing 50 to the housing 56. A pulley 60 is operatively connected to the driving mechanism within the gear casing 50 and connected by a. belt 62 to the pulley 64 from the motor 66. The motor 66 is ordinarily supported on a board which in turn is supported on the legs of the washing machine, but when the washing machine is arranged as disclosed in my drawings, it is necessary to provide a supporting platform 68 having upstanding arms 70 adapted to be bolted or otherwise secured to the bottom of the washing machine C.

The wringer 7 2 of the washing machine is operatively connected by means of a housing 74 and drive shaft 7 6 with the driving mechanism within the casing 50.

Themotor 66 may be connected by a flexible lead wire 78 to an outlet box 80 secured to the base 10 of my device. The conduit pipe leading the electric wires to the outlet box 80 is indicated at 82. The outlet box 80 may be provided with push buttons 84 for controlling thestarting and stopping of the motor 66.

A tub 86 is adapted to be mounted on each supportin' ring 36. Each tub 86 has a downwardly extending drain spout 88 normally closed by a screw plug 90. The screw plug 90 is provided with a central longitudinal opening 92 and a diametrically extending opening 94, whereby when the plug 90 is screwed outwardly away from the gasket 96, water may flow from the tub 86 into the opening 94 and then into the base 10, from whence it drains into the drain trap 98. For convenience sake, the screw plug 90 may be manipulated by a rod extending upwardly and through an ear 102 and terminating in a flat enlarged portion 104 adapted to be turned by the finger and thumb of the opera leg extending down to the floor 12 or by a V-shaped brace 112 having a hub 114 at its apex secured to the tubular portion 24 of the supporting arm A. A slot 116 is formed in the base 10 to accommodate the passage of the brace 112 therethrough. is provided with a pair of diverging arms, the outer end of each being adapted to be secured to the annular track 42. Thus, the washing machine 0 is rigidly supported and yet capable of swinging movement whenever the arm A swings.

In connection with my laundry appliance, I provide a burner 118 supported on an arm 120. The arm 120 is in reality, a pipe for conducting fuel to the burner and is pivotally connected with a fuel pipe 122 by means of a. pet cock-like fitting 124, which admits fuel to the burner when the burner is in raised position, as shown in Figure 2, and cuts off the supply of such fuel when the burner is in the lowered position indicated in dotted lines. An extension 126 and a latch 128 serve to hold the burner 118 in raised position.

The base 10 is provided with slotted openings 130 through which water may flow which spills over on the floor 12. The water may then flow to the drain trap 98. In connection with the washing machine C, a latch pin 132 may be provided adapted to drop into an opening 134 formed in the annular track 42. The purpose of the latch pin 132 is to insure that the drain faucet 136 of'the washing machine C will be in alignment with the supporting arm A when it is desired to empty the washing machine of water. The opening 134 of course, will be placed accordingly. The drain faucet 136 may be controlled by a rod 138 extending to the edge of the washing machine.

For conducting either hot or cold water to the washing machine C and the tubs 86, the hot water pipe 140 and the cold water pipe 142 may be installed above the appliance and extended downwardly .to a point spaced above the center thereof. Faucets 144 and 146 are provided on the pipes 140 and 142 andthe water from these two pipes flows into a mixing tube 148. A flexible hose 150 is connected with the mixing tube 148 which may The brace 112 I be directed to the washing machine or either in position by] cap screws or of the tubs.

U 86 of my appliance in washing clothing In the use of my appliance, hot water may be conducted through the flexible hose 150 to the washing machine C, after which the clothes are washed therein. The clothes are then wrung through the wringer 72 to one of the tubs 86 as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. This tub is usually called the clearing tub. After the clothing has been agitated in the clearing tub the parts may be made to assume the position shown in Figure 4 for wringing the clothes from the clearing tub to the bluing tub. After the bluing operation, the clearing tub may be moved away, as shown in Figure 5, so that a basket 110 may be positioned on the supporting plates 106. The clothing is now wrung from the bluing tub to the basket, after which it may be hung up to dry and air.

As the supporting arms are pivoted to the base and the containers 86 are pivoted relative to said arms, a selective positioning of the tubs is made possible which is very convenient. In addition it will be noted that the pivotsof the outer ends of the arms are materially of]? center with respect to the tubs, which greatly increases the possible advantageous location of the tubs, particularly relative to the Washing machine G, and is also of advantage in the way of compact relative arrangement. Inasmuch as the base is low relative to the supporting arms and containers, the arms may be swung over the base, and the off center pivoting of the tubs permits their axial centers to approach more closely to the axial center line of the base. Some of the convenient positions which may be assumed because of these features of arrangement are illustrated in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6.

As shown in Figure 6, either of the tubs may be swung to a position for having the water therein heated by the burner 118. Another burner may be provided if desired, for heating the water in the washing machine.

It will be noted throughout the washing operations as disclosed in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, only a slight rotatable movement is re- ,quired of the washing machine C. In the position shown in Figure 3, the gear casing 50 is moved to contact with the supporting arm A. Since there is but slight rotatable movement of the washing machine G, the braces 112 may be provided without interfering with such rotation.

It is not necessary to have the supporting arm A swingable throughout the ordinary washing operations, but in some cases it may be desirable. The base 10 is provided with a pair of clean-out openings 152 which are normally covered by cover plates 154 held I being in the form of a screw plug. V By the combination of washing, machine, tubs, supporting arms andthe manner of mounting these parts relative to each other and relative to a base, I have provided in my appliance, a means for performing the entire washing operations conveniently without having to carry any water or carrythe Wet clothing from one position to another.

- The washing machine wringer may be utilized for wringing clothing from one tub to another, or from one tub to a basketwhile clothing is being washed in the machine. The base 10 may be castwith a recess to receive the burner 118 when in lowered position so that it does not extend outside the outline of the base and therefore does not interfere with the feet of the operator. The supporting means for rotatably supporting a Washing machine on the annular track 42 may be considerably modified for the purpose of adapting a different type of washing machine to be associated with my appliance. Such means could be arranged to accommodate a washing machine having a centrifugal wringer if found desirable.

Various changes in the supporting arms, base, or other details of my invention may be made without departing from the real spirit and purpose thereof and it is therefore my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a laundry appliance, a base having a vertical opening therein adjacent one edge, a laterally extending arm having a vertical portion at the inner end pivotally received in said opening, and a container support on the outer end of said arm, said support being pivoted on said arm at a position materially ofl' center of the support, whereby the container support may be moved to a position adjacent the axial center of the base.

2. In a laundry appliance, a base, a head mounted on said base having a vertical opening therein adjacent one edge, a radial arm having a vertical portion at the inner end pivotally received in said opening and a container support on the outer end of said arm, said outer end having a second vertical portion on which the support is rotatably mounted, at a position materially ofl' center of the support, to facilitate selective positioning of the container support with respect to the base.

3. In a laundry appliance, a base, a plurality of arms independently pivotally connected to said base, at points near its edge, and extending laterally therefrom, and container supports pivotally connected to said arms at points materially off-center of the supports, the pivots of said arms and of said container supports being on spaced vertical axes, whereby to facilitate selective positioning of said supports horizontally with respect to the ,base and to each other.

4. In a laundry appliance,abase,aplurality of supporting arms each having a vertical part pivotally mounted in the top of said base and also having a part extending outwardly and upwardly from said base and capable of 2. 9 being swung into different positions through arcs, and a basket supporting plate on an intermediate portion of the last named part of each arm, arranged horizontally substantially above the base and capable of conzb" jointly providing a support for a basket or the like in diiferent positions of said arms.

- Des Moines, Iowa, September 19, 1928.

JOHN G. FEHN. 

